diff --git a/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.ini b/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.ini
index 816da165328..6edd9b981b0 100644
--- a/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.ini
+++ b/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.ini
@@ -19,4 +19,5 @@ include_powerstate=yes
 group_by_resource_group=yes
 group_by_location=yes
 group_by_security_group=yes
+group_by_os_family=yes
 group_by_tag=yes
diff --git a/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.py b/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.py
index d68c83fae4c..36ea938a6a6 100755
--- a/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.py
+++ b/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.py
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ AZURE_CONFIG_SETTINGS = dict(
     group_by_location='AZURE_GROUP_BY_LOCATION',
     group_by_security_group='AZURE_GROUP_BY_SECURITY_GROUP',
     group_by_tag='AZURE_GROUP_BY_TAG',
+    group_by_os_family='AZURE_GROUP_BY_OS_FAMILY',
     use_private_ip='AZURE_USE_PRIVATE_IP'
 )
 
@@ -572,6 +573,7 @@ class AzureInventory(object):
         self.replace_dash_in_groups = False
         self.group_by_resource_group = True
         self.group_by_location = True
+        self.group_by_os_family = True
         self.group_by_security_group = True
         self.group_by_tag = True
         self.include_powerstate = True
@@ -706,7 +708,7 @@ class AzureInventory(object):
 
             host_vars['os_disk'] = dict(
                 name=machine.storage_profile.os_disk.name,
-                operating_system_type=machine.storage_profile.os_disk.os_type.value
+                operating_system_type=machine.storage_profile.os_disk.os_type.value.lower()
             )
 
             if self.include_powerstate:
@@ -811,10 +813,16 @@ class AzureInventory(object):
 
         host_name = self._to_safe(vars['name'])
         resource_group = self._to_safe(vars['resource_group'])
+        operating_system_type = self._to_safe(vars['os_disk']['operating_system_type'].lower())
         security_group = None
         if vars.get('security_group'):
             security_group = self._to_safe(vars['security_group'])
 
+        if self.group_by_os_family:
+            if not self._inventory.get(operating_system_type):
+                self._inventory[operating_system_type] = []
+            self._inventory[operating_system_type].append(host_name)
+
         if self.group_by_resource_group:
             if not self._inventory.get(resource_group):
                 self._inventory[resource_group] = []
diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/scenario_guides/guide_azure.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/scenario_guides/guide_azure.rst
index 1cbec34940c..165f83cb4b5 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/scenario_guides/guide_azure.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/scenario_guides/guide_azure.rst
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ By default hosts are grouped by:
 * security group name
 * tag key
 * tag key_value
+* os_disk operating_system_type (Windows/Linux)
 
 You can control host groupings and host selection by either defining environment variables or creating an
 azure_rm.ini file in your current working directory.
@@ -344,6 +345,7 @@ Control grouping using the following variables defined in the environment:
 * AZURE_GROUP_BY_LOCATION=yes
 * AZURE_GROUP_BY_SECURITY_GROUP=yes
 * AZURE_GROUP_BY_TAG=yes
+* AZURE_GROUP_BY_OS_FAMILY=yes
 
 Select hosts within specific resource groups by assigning a comma separated list to:
 
@@ -390,7 +392,7 @@ file will contain the following:
     group_by_location=yes
     group_by_security_group=yes
     group_by_tag=yes
-
+    group_by_os_family=yes
 
 Examples
 ........
@@ -402,6 +404,12 @@ Here are some examples using the inventory script:
     # Execute /bin/uname on all instances in the Testing resource group
     $ ansible -i azure_rm.py Testing -m shell -a "/bin/uname -a"
 
+    # Execute win_ping on all Windows instances
+    $ ansible -i azure_rm.py windows -m win_ping
+
+    # Execute win_ping on all Windows instances
+    $ ansible -i azure_rm.py winux -m ping
+
     # Use the inventory script to print instance specific information
     $ ./ansible/contrib/inventory/azure_rm.py --host my_instance_host_name --resource-groups=Testing --pretty